The Beautiful
by Linda-previouslyMissyMaura
Summary: A collection of ficlettes. Second ficlette up.Mixed couplings-Samka,Carby,others
1. Default Chapter

**_This was a challenge from Gater101, my bud from ERHQ. Hope you like_.**

**Write a ficlette on the first image that springs to your mind when you read this line:**

**"A ship is floating in the harbur now, a wind is hovering o'er the mountains brow"**

He gazed up from his book, the images still flickering over his lids. The breeze ruffled his already unruly hair and cooled the sweat that beaded on his brow, its fingers lifting the pages on his book and making the blades of grass hiss above his head.

Sighing he upended the book and placed it beside him, standing to stretch his long limbs after their lengthy spell tucked under him. Squinting out to the horizon he could see a tall yacht slip silently past the mouth of the bay he was perched in. This, his secret hideaway, was perfect. Its sands the colour of honey, specked every so often with glorious shells left by the ocean as little presents just for him. The cliffs sloped upward above him, topped with long grass the kind of green you only dreamt about. So many times had he tumbled in those grasses, running from his brother as they played. Danger was never an issue; they were born here and knew the land layout too well for it to harm them.

It had been years since he had visited the cove and he wondered why he had waited so long. As he slipped off his sandals and slid his tanned feet deep into the warm sand he knew he couldn't leave again. As the sun licked at his unclothed torso he smiled slightly, knowing he'd be sore tomorrow but not caring. Here it was easy not to care, so easy not to worry.

He trotted towards the lapping ocean, stopping just short for a second to gaze out once more. The yacht was gone and the horizon was beautifully empty, a perfect compromise between ocean and sky. As he stepped into the warm shallows the waves pushed up to his ankles then pulled away to leave the very tips on his toes covered. He loved the gentle tickle of the water and he strode in, gasping slightly as the cooler water rushed up the leg of his shorts. With a gulp of clear air he dove in a perfect movement to join the fish below the surface. His large hands pulled him through the crystal water, his strong legs kicked out behind him to propel him faster. He swam until his lungs were screaming then he exploded through the surface and sucked in the warm air. Shaking the water from his eyes he turned and began a slower swim back to shore, enjoying the warmth from the sun on his back yet the coolness of the water on his chest.

He wondered if any place in the world could be more perfect than here, in this haven of silence on the Adriatic coast.

And as the breeze dried the water on his body to a salty second skin, he decided the answer was probably no. Because the only place he thought could be more perfect than here would be anywhere with her.


	2. The LifeSavers

**_Another challenge from the lovely Gater101, the godmother of fiction :D_**

**Again write a ficlette with 1 line of dialogue from the image of the following line:**

**Love is like war: Easy to begin but hard to end**

She couldn't believe she'd agreed to come. This wasn't the place for a woman, at least not one afraid of bugs-they were everywhere. But this was her sacrifice to be with him, and she decided she could get used to it.

The huts were grouped along one side of the camp and curved round slightly at each end. There was a large pit dug out especially for cooking and a small scuffed area where the children played. The local children had adopted Charlie into their clan from day 1 pretty much, her fair skin and freckles being somewhat of a novelty over here. Now that fairness was slowly deepening into a tan that no sun block would stop, and her light brown hair was lightening in the sunshine to an almost white blonde.

She lay down on the thin bed and rested her feet on the pillow. The heat was insistent and there was never any breeze to cool the sweat that literally poured off her night and day. Surely she would get used to it soon; the others never seemed bothered as they went about their daily business. She longed for a day when she could sit in on their chats, when she could go with them to the river to wash the clothes, when she could feel included as part of a group instead of being 'the American'.

Sighing, she pulled herself off the bed and trudged towards the bathroom, stopping on the way to check on her little girl's nap time. Sure everything was ok; she slipped under the shower with a groan. This had to be the best way to cool down.

The shots rung out miles away but still made her jump. They were here to help but all too often they were too late to do anything but hear their last words. The worst was children caught between the two troops. Only yesterday a little girl, barely 2, had come in almost completely stripped of flesh on her right side because a soldier had thrown a bomb out when he saw the movement. He shot himself that night…it was his daughter.

Mickey started mewing as she scrambled out of the rickety shower tray. Wrapping a towel around her body she scampered into his room and scooped him up, holding him close to her chest and whispering to him until his cries died down and he attached himself to his pacifier.

This place wasn't meant for women, nor was it meant for children. But every day she began to love the little hut they lived it, the fires where they cooked, the mixture of races, religions and occupations. Every day she thanked God she had been given the chance to at least _try_ and save lives. Maybe this place wasn't meant for her, but she couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

She looked up at the sound of his voice.

"Abby, Charlie's up. Wanna go for a walk?" She nodded, handing the baby to John and diving into the only clean clothes she owned.

As they walked along the bank of the river, with a child on each hand, Abby knew she was home.


End file.
